A recruit has not finished training yet, and a woman has just seen two lines on a test, yet something in their minds has already changed for good. These two images open a reflection on living in the already but not yet, and on the church in Corinth, which Paul thanks as blameless even though he knows its chaos (1 Corinthians 1). The sermon offers a simple path: start with the gospel, name the gap between who you are and how you live, and call yourself back. Listen if you are worn out by swinging between feeling holy and feeling sinful.
Discussion questions
For your small group or for personal reflection after the sermon.
- Paul writes to the church in Corinth, which was marked by sexual immorality, drunkenness and divisions, yet he thanks God for them and says God will keep them blameless. What is his confidence based on in 1 Corinthians 1:3-9?
- In verses 10-16 the Corinthians say "I follow Paul," "I follow Apollos," "I follow Cephas." According to the sermon, why were people attaching themselves to particular teachers, and how does Paul respond?
- The speaker described Christian life as a tension between "already" and "not yet," using the example of a recruit who believes during training that he is already a soldier. Where do you see a gap between who you are in Christ and how you live?
- The sermon said we should not look for a middle ground between "I am a sinner" and "I am loved and accepted by God." How can these two truths live together in the way you see yourself?
- In conflict Paul starts with the gospel, not the problem, like spouses who know that neither of them is going anywhere. What changes in a disagreement when the relationship itself is not on the table?
- This week, how can you tell someone in your church or family whom you find difficult, "I trust God in you," instead of immediately analyzing their problem?
